When social sharing leads to trouble

Sometimes it can be tricky to determine what is appropriate to share on social media. Other times there is never a good reason to share, particularly when the social share shows a crime being committed. Two cases that recently took place point to the need for care when choosing what is appropriate to share with others on social media.

What makes a questionable social share?

WWLP reported that there was Social media backlash recently when a photo of a National Guard unit was sleeping in a public school during their work on Hurricane Harvey. Although the photo was later deleted, the touching photo of soldiers received backlash when it was posted on Twitter.

The photo was posted by the Katy Football Team and showed troops sleeping in a deserted hallway in the school. The school was being used as a staging area for the relief efforts in Houston. The photo was later deleted because it received so much criticism for the troops sleeping on the floor. Katy High School Principal Rick Hull took to Twitter to address the criticism. The troops were later thanked for their service.

Click2Houston reported that the reason the troops were sleeping on the floor is that many chose to select an area to sleep. Cots and air mattresses were available to those troops who wanted them. The tweet had been removed because certain outlets chose to criticize the school for allowing the soldiers to sleep on the floor.

NBC Chicago reported that a woman encouraged a rape and after filming it, chose to post it on Snapchat. The rape took place after Beth Rae Harris, 36, got into an argument over a man at a party. The 23-year-old woman who was raped was a friend of Harris. Harris and her friend attended the party and later made up after the incident.

They went to a club and a hotel party where the victim drank heavily and later passed out at Harris's apartment. Harris encouraged at least one man to rape the woman and she was later charged with non-consensual dissemination of sexual images after the video appeared on Snapchat. She was being held on a $150,000 bond in the Cook County Jail.

No one else has been charged in the case.

What's appropriate to share?

The Hill reported that there is a lot to be learned about what someone shares on social media. Sharing posts that are considered uncivilized can often be perceived in the same way as cutting someone off on the road. Creating a positive legacy may mean considering whether or not it would be something that users would want their grandparents to see. Ultimately it is up to those who post to determine the legacy they want to leave. For those who use social media to market their businesses, following the latest trends can point to social media marketing opportunities to create viral content and connect with and build relationships with potential customers.